Delphinium

I brought a delphinium from homebase the other day.. Really good deal for £2.99 (yes, most looked like they hadnt been watered for a week, but the one i picked looked nice and bushy with lots of buds on it).

Of course, i went for the excalibur (my favourite!)

However... It has been planted now, and the buds on it are much bigger now and looking very white. I'm thinking this is not an excalibur!

I would like to hope it will turn blue... But i am hoping for nothing aren't i?

 

I have the label still.. "excalibur/white bee - light blue flowers with a white centre".

Anyone got these?
Are the buds blue? Or white?

 

I find that buds on most plants rarely reflect their colour once opened.
That said,£2.99 is a good deal whatever the colour.

 

I know, hence why i didnt keep the receipt!
Just hoping they turn out blue.. If not i will be annoyed because i could have picked either blue or purple that were already blooming and would have been sure of what i was getting.

Looking at some more to consider, but don't know what colours most accurate in the photos i've seen.. Summer skies, cameliard and blue jay - google shows lots of different colours so which is true to colour??

 

I have heard from photography friends that blue is a very difficult colour to capture Elizabeth.

 

I have Guardian Royal, (i think that's what it's called anyway) and Black Knight, and both have whitish buds before flowering. The BK is much darker than the GR but still has slightly whitish centres and not completely dark blue as described. Mind you they're both in their first year of flowering so perhaps once established they'll get darker with age.

The GR is below but i've no pic of the BK yet. It's actually slightly darker than shown, as Jenny said above, blue is difficult to capture. In fact i find most colours are not true in digital format.

 

Here's 'Black Knight' Scorpio , I grew these from seed and most did have the black "bee" as described but did have a couple that where white, beautiful delphinium such a dark colour.
I have some mixed Pacific Hybrids Elizabeth that are such a pale blue the buds do look white before opening, fingers crossed for yours

 

They are all such regal plants Scorpio and Simbad. I adore blue in the garden and these are magnificent. Thank you Scorpio for confirming that blue is a difficult colour digitally. I get so frustrated trying to capture blue flowers on my camera. Tried different angles - morning, noon and evening but still unable to capture Salvia African Skies satisfactorily,

 

I have a Fuji Finepix which has an EXR setting that is supposed to do everything exactly as the eye sees it but does it heck. I find the ordinary automatic setting is much better but the colours only become as true to life as possible when the sun isn't on the plants such a early morning or late evening.

Oh and on a sidenote Jenny, i have the Mec. Betonicifolia seeds ready if you can PM me your addy again. Not sure if they'll work as they're like pepper dust but the pods had just opened so they're ready to be sewn or stored in fridge for planting next Spring.

 

Mine's definitely not that dark in the middle but perhaps next year they'll be darker like yours with any luck.

 

That's a stunning colour!

 

Thanks Martin,
I have just gone out and cut some ripe seed pods of the Welsh poppy for you. I will post them in the morning and I will now PM my address to you,
Jenny

 

I grew my first Delphiniums from seed this year , they are just about to flower now. Nicely suprised how well they have grown I staked all my Delphs due to their height , do I need to do this every year ? I can't see a cane in any of your lovely pics.

 

They are best staked every year Harry, I stake mine, the canes are just well hidden in my pic , forgot one lot this year and boy was it a palava to get them upright again .

 

Well my delphinium is definitely white. Damn!

But i have gone out and brought a dark purple one with white inner section.. Not sure its true name but yep. Nearly went for a lavender, but Mum said to go for the darker purple to go with the white.